Lawyers 4 Us. The state of Florida doesn’t protect our families, so we’re turning to attorneys for help.

If you live in Florida, the state will decide what happens to your property and assets if you die. Parents should take all the legal precautions within our reach to make sure everyone’s safe after a catastrophic situation like death. South Florida has a growing number of gay (and gay-friendly) attorneys to help us with our living wills, health care powers, and financial powers of attorney.

The number of openly GLBT lawyers in the U.S. increased by more than 50 percent from 2002 to 2006, reports the National Association for Law Placement. The number of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lawyers increased by more than 50 percent from 2002 to 2006. The nonprofit group, which uses data from about 700 large U.S. law firms, reported 1,733 openly gay lawyers in 2006, up from about 1,100 four years earlier. Openly gay lawyers represent 1.8 percent of associates and 1.1 percent of partners.

Our favorite South Florida blogger, Steve Rothaus, investigates the emergence of lesbian and gay lawyers now helping same-sex parents and couples in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area.